Grain-conveyer.



PATENTED JULY 24, 1906.

B. J. YRAALSTAD. GRAIN GONVEYBR. APPLICATION nun nov. 21. 1905.

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.No.- 827,049. ,PATENTED JULY 24, 1906. E.- J. VRAALSTAD. GRAIN GONVEYBRAPPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1905.

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EDWARD J. VRAALSTAD, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOBUFFALO PITTS COMPANY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A

CORPORATIONOF NEW YORK.

GRAlN-CONVEYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Eatented July 24, 1906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. VRAAL- STAD, of Buffalo, in the county ofErie and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Grain-Conveyers; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

The object of this invention is to provide a screw conveyer thedirection of rotation of which may be readily reversed, although theoperating-shaft revolves continuously 1n one direction, thereby enablingthe discharge to be had at either of two points.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a ,view in side elevation withparts in dotted lines and parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan view.Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged sectional views of opposite ends of theconveyer. Fig. 5 is a face view of the transmission-gearing. Fig. 6 is adetail.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a cylindrical casing having atone end at the top a receiving-hopper 2. At both ends, opening from thebottom of this casing, are discharge delivery-chutes 3 and 4, the formerbeing beneath the hopper, while the latter is at the far end of thecasing.

5 designates a screw conveyer revoluble within casing 1, thedirection ofrotation controlling the direction of discharge of the grainthat is tosay, whether it be through ohute3 or chute 4. Iffrom chute 4, the outletto chute 3 is closed by a valve 6 and all the grain is forced to the farend of the casing, while if the discharge is to be through chute 3 thedirection of rotation of the conveyer is reversed and valve 6 iswithdrawn. The shifting of the valve occurs simultaneously with the chane of direction of rotation of the conveyer. T e latter is equipped withan axial tubular spindle 7, slidably mounted on the operating-shaft 8,extended longitudinally through casing 1, such shaft having its bearingsat the ends of the casing. This shaft is constantly rotated in onedirection,

the power being applied thereto at one end as to pulley 9. Upon thisshaft is keyed a collar 10, with which a sleeve 12, secured to one endof spindle 7, is designed to engage when the screw is to revolve in thesame direction as the operating-shaft. It will be understood that thecollar 10 and sleeve 12 are equipped with interlocking portions, such ascoacting slots and proj ections. At its other or outer end the spindle 7likewise carries a sleeve 13 for interlocking with the hub or sleeve 14of a transmission or reversing gearing,such interlocking being effectedas the spindle is shifted to disengage it from collar 10. The shaft 8 isextended beyond the end of casing 1 and equipped with a small pinion 15,which meshes with two gear-wheels 16, arranged at opposite sidesthereof, such gear-wheels having their bearings in an outer cap-plate17,secured to the end plate of easing 1. These gear-wheels 16 mesh with aninternallytoothed wheel 18, from which the hub or sleeve 14 extends. Inthis way the rotation of shaft 8 is communicated through thetransmission-gearing to the screw conveyer, so

that the latter may be rotated in the reverse direction to the shaft.

It is manifest that any suitable means may be employed for shifting thescrew longitudinally of shaft 8. That shown consists of an: arm 19,depending through casing 1 from'a' collar 20, slidably mounted on suchcasing,

such arm being secured to spindle 7, forming thereby a slightinterruption in the continuity of the screw, but not sufficient tointerfere with the working thereof. 1 This collar 20 is equipped with adepending lug 21, through w oh is passed a rod 22, mounted in brackets23, likewise depending from the casing. Tappets 24 on this rod bycontacting with lug 21 will effect the shifting of collar 20 and throughit and arm 19 the shifting of the conveyer. This rod 22 is also securedto the valve 6, so that when the conveyer is shifted to cause it torevolve in the same direction as the operating-shaft and to therebyeffect the discharge through'chute 4 the valve will cut offcommunication with chute 3. Manipulating-handles 25 may be secured torod 22 at suitable points.

It will be observed by reference to Figs. 1

and 2 that several convolutions of the screw per into theconveyepcasingwhile the'outlet to chute 3 occupies but a small area of the spacebeneath such opening. In conse uence when the conveyer is being actuated1n the reverse'direction that is to-say, to effect the discharge throughchute 3only those convolutions directly beneath or in close proximity tothe opening of the hopper have for other purposes, and although'I havedescribed a preferred means of embodiment the invention is notrestricted in this respect.

I claim as-my invention 3 1.' Aconveyercomprisin ashaft designed to becontinuously operate in one direction,

a screw conveyer concentric to and operated bysaid shaft, and means atornear each end of thescrew for locking the latter to said shaft tocause it to revolve'with, or in the re versedirection to, the shaft.

2 A conveyer comprising a shaft designed to be continuously operated inone direction,

a screw conveyer concentric to, and operated .by, said shaft, means fordirectly locking the conveyer to the shaft, and transmission orreversing mechanism operated by the shaft and with which the conveyer isdesigned to interlock when free of said locking means.

.1; Q3." A conveyer comprising a casing. having agsingle inlet andaplurality of outlets, a shaft designed to be constantly operated in onedirection, a screwconveyer, means for the latter to the shaft, and

directly lockin d by the shaftwithwhich the means actuate conveyer isdesigned to interlock when not locked directly to the shaft, saidconveyer beingcaused to-revolve with, or in the reverse direction to,the shaft to effect the discharge into the different outlets.

4. The combination with the casing and the shaft continuously operatedin one direction, of the screw conveyer having a tubular spindleconcentric to T said shaft, and means intermediate the shaft'and thespin dle for causing the conveyer to revolve with, or in the reversedirection to, the shaft.

, 5. The combination with the casing, and

the shaftl'continuously;operated in one direction, of the screw conveyerhaving a tubular spindle concentric ,tosaid shaft, means for shiftingsaid spindle lon 'itudinall-y of the shaft}: means at one end of t espindle for directly interlockingwith the shaft, and transmission orreversing mechanism'operated by said shaft with which said spindle atits other end is designed to interlock.

6. The combination with the casinghaving a hopper at one end and outletsat its two ends, one outlet being beneath said-hopper, of ascrew-conveyer extended longitudinally of the casing, anoperating-shaft, means for causing said conveyer to revolve with, or inthe reverse direction to, the shaft, and means for closing 1 offcommunication to the. outlet beneath the hopper when the conveyer isrotating with the shaft.

1 7. The combination with the casing having a hopper at one end andoutlets at-its two ends, one outlet being beneath said hopper,

of a screw conveyer extended longitudinally of the casing, anoperating-shaft" extended longitudinally through the conveyer anddesigned to revolve, continuously in one direction, a collar on saidshaft with which said spindle is designed tointerlo'ck, transmission orreversing mechanism actuated by said shaft and having a collarwithwhichsaid spindle is designed to interlock when shifted in onedirection, means for shiftinglthe spin-I dle, and a valve actuated bysuchshiftin means for controlling the outlet beneaththehopper.

8. The combination with the casing and the shaft continuously operatedin one dir e'ction having a gear-pinion on'one end,of-the screw conveyerhaving a tubular spindle through'whieh said shaft extends, aninternallytoothed wheel at one end of the casing concentric to said shaft,gear-wheels inter-1' mediate said pinion' and said internally toothedwheel, means for causin said con veyer to engage withsaid interna ltoothe'd wheel, and means for-locking'fsaid screw con veyer to saidshaft when the 'same is disengaged from said wheel.

9. The combinati'on'wrth the casing hav ing an inlet-hopper at one endand outlets-:at'

its opposite'ends, of a screw conveyer'locat'ed within said casing,means for operatingsai'd ITO screw conveyer in either direction, suchmeans comprisinga shaftconcentr'idto said screw conveyer, means forpositively ldckin'g the latter to said shaft, transmission orreversingmechanism actuated by' said shaft and with which said screw conveyer'isde-'- signed to engage whennot locked to the shaft,

ing the shifting ;thereof,' and means operated "means extending'outsideof the :casing. and-I connected to said screw conveyerlfor effectby thelast-mentioned means'fori cuttinggoif one-of said outlets.

In testimony whereof I 'havefsigned this specification in the presenceof two subscrib ing Witnesses. V I v EDWARD J. VRAALSTAD-a Witnesses? IY H. P. SEVIPP, i JOHN" BEO'L'MSTED Y

